Window to an Underwater World

It has been a beautiful week out here traveling between the Hawaiian Islands. We have snorkeled on several different islands, although this snorkel at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island was by far the fan-favorite. I always tell people that snorkeling is like a window into a whole different world. All you need is a snorkel mask and some fins and you are transported to an environment with colorful fish, hidden octopus, and maybe even a curious moray eel. Check out the photos below from my snorkel at the famous Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island.

Some of our snorkelers checking out the coral reef and its colorful denizens.

I was lucky to spot this octopus, as it was very well hidden.

A spotted pufferfish swimming past a toxic spiny sea urchin.

Sometimes its worth going into the extreme shallows. This is where the best colors are going to be for photos.

A fourspot butterflyfish glides in front of lobe coral.

A school of gold ring surgeonfish in crystal clear water.

Different species of reef fish provide a blast of color to this underwater world.

This is a lined butterflyfish. I don't really see this fish on any other island than here on the Big Island.

A parrotfish hungrily takes a chunk out of the reef. They are one of the most colorful fish on the reef. But only the males, the females are a mix of bland browns and white.

One of our guest hovering above a school of racoon butterflyfish and sergeant majors.

A very rare morph of the black longnose butterflyfish. In Hawaiian this fish is called the lauwiliwilinukunukuoioiele'ele

I feel like I am one of the school of yellowfin goatfish.

All moving as one.

This whitemouth moray eel was very interested in my camera.

The whitemouth moray in all of its glory.

All of these photos were taken with a little underwater point and shoot. Even though I have the huge housing for my Canon 5d, I use this little one for most of my work snorkels. It works wonders and keeps on ticking. If you have some travels coming up and a looking for a solid underwater camera that is very easy to travel with, then check out the Olympus Tough series. I've been using this for years.

And as always, keep shooting!
-Dai Mar